5 overseas strikers heading for the EPL this month
The transfer window will slam shut in a matter of days, and so there is little time for managers up and down the country to add to their playing staff.
If they can find a big signing it could be the difference between success and failure; and failure is not an option in the modern day managerial merry-go-round.
So who are the five big overseas signings that could be heading to English pastures this August?
Pedro (Manchester United)
The ongoing ‘will he, won’t he’ Pedro transfer saga has had more twists and turns than your average soap opera whodunit. But it appears – if media reports are to be believed – that the Spaniard’s move to Manchester is very much back on.
The 29-year-old may have scored the winner for favourites Barcelona in their 5-4 win over Sevilla in the Super Cup the other night, but it is rumoured that this will be his last game for the club.
Shortly after the match he dropped a huge hint that he is set for UK shores in the next few days. “Manchester?” he asked rhetorically. “Yes, there are nice challenges on all sides.
“If I go, I will go with my head held high having always given everything [to Barcelona]. These fans and this club are incredible.”
So it may have been a rather subtle hint, but as we know players very rarely talk about leaving their present clubs unless the deal has been signed, sealed and delivered. And the Old Trafford side will be more than happy to meet Pedro’s £21 million buyout clause having netted a cool £44 million for Angel Di Maria a matter of days ago.
Even Barca club secretary Robert Fernandez has confirmed the news publicly. “He’s told me he wants to leave. But we want him to stay,” he told Spanish journalists.
Karim Benzema (Arsenal)
Another player who has been the subject of ongoing speculation about his future is Karim Benzema. There are no suggestions that the French forward is unhappy at the Bernabeu, and indeed he still plays a key role in proceedings on the pitch at Real.
But rumour persists that if a sizeable bid is made, Rafa Benitez will not be turning it down. As a club known for selling its big assets to fund further marquee names – Angel Di Maria and Mesut Ozil are just two recent examples – it is believed that Real will accept a bid in the region of £45 million to fund their pursuit of Juventus’s brilliant young midfielder Paul Pogba.
It is widely known that Arsene Wenger is a huge admirer of his compatriot, and if he plans to mount an assault on both the Premiership title and the Champions League then he may need to invest in a proven goalscorer: Olivier Giroud’s stats suggest he is not quite up to the task.
And you’d fancy that Benzema’s capture would be a fantastic one for a club on the precipice of doing great things: he notched 15 goals and 10 assists last season, and only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were involved in more goals in any of the major European leagues.
Fernando Llorente (Arsenal)
Should the Benzema deal not go through, then Wenger may turn his attentions towards the beanpole Spaniard, Fernando Llorente.
He could face competition from around the continent for the Juventus target man, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Black & Whites following the signing of Mario Mandzukic.
Oh Fernando still has plenty to offer though, with a career record of a goal every three games in La Liga and Serie A. As a full Spanish international, and with bags of Champions League experience, Llorente fits the bill as a line-leader for the Gunners.
Mario Gotze (Manchester United)
Despite making a big money move to Bayern just two years ago, it seems Mario Gotze is already unhappy at the Bundesliga champions.
He’s been forced to play out of position by boss Pep Guardiola – eschewing his preferred central role for a stint on the left wing – and that’s even when he is played at all, with the Spanish gaffer seemingly unconvinced by the 23-year-old’s ability to handle the big Bundesliga and Champions League occasions.
Gotze’s agent is on record as saying that his client ‘needs more support’, and he’d be sure to get that at Old Trafford where Louis Van Gaal is famous for his paternal approach.
Big money would have to change hands for a talented young starlet who scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup Final, but the fact that Bayern have yet to tie him down to a long-term contract – his current deal runs out in 2017 – suggests they are open to offers.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Whilst not a striker by trade (although he can fulfil that ultra-modern ‘False 9’ role), De Bruyne would represent a major coup for Manchester City.
Manuel Pellegrini is reportedly ready to offer the Belgian international up to £230,000 a week to leave Wolfsburg and join his double-chasing crusade.
The playmaker, who has already tasted Premier League life with Chelsea, is fast developing into a fantastic player; with a sublime range of passing backed by an eye for a goal and Bostik-like ball control. He created a staggering 21 goals for his club during the last campaign – a Bundesliga record.
Manchester City are rarely shy with their money, but it might take up to £40million to prise the 24-year-old away.